Extended collections from DLF

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Extended collections from DLF: To meet the increasing demand for conservation mixtures and environmental areas within both sports venues and amenity land, DLF have expanded their range of wildflower mixtures.

The Pro Flora collection, each designed to recreate a particular habitat or suit specific site and soil conditions, now contains 14 UK native mixtures thanks to the addition of Pro Flora 13 and Pro Flora 14 for 2020. The non-native Colour Boost wildflower range has also been extended, from three mixtures to six.

Extended collections from DLF

Extended collections from DLF

As demand for improved biodiversity on all major landscape projects grows, Pro Flora 13 species-rich lawn and landscape mixture has been developed to contain 20% native origin wildflowers with 80% fine-leaved, low-growing grasses. This mixture massively increases the species count and diversity per m2 compared to a standard lawn mix. In addition, the flexibility of maintenance makes it suitable for more intensively managed areas, as well as conventionally managed grasslands that receive just one or two cuts a year. The greater amount of time between cuts sees a greater number of species flower, providing additional benefits to pollenating insects.

Also new for 2020, Pro Flora 14 – tall herb and tussock mix – uses species with varying heights and structures to create habitat for a wider range of insects, small mammals, amphibians and reptiles. Tall herb grassland provides a vital pollen and nectar source late into the year to sustain invertebrates, in turn providing a food source for birds and predators higher up the food chain. These taller growing species can help to visually blend more traditional parkland/meadow mixtures with woodland and natural scrub and should be maintained in sections, to retain the essential habitat that has been created.

DLF have also added three new mixtures to the popular Colour Boost range. Originally introduced in 2018, the collection is specifically designed for maximum floral impact, incorporating cultivated flowering species to deliver a colourful long-lasting display. The collection provides an essential food source and habitat for many species of animals and invertebrates, especially pollenating insects.

With a focus on a specific colour palette, Colour Boost 4 provides a warm mix of flowers from pale pinks through to deep reds, flowering from late spring through to late autumn. Over the same flowering period, Colour Boost 5 delivers yellows in every shade, including California Poppy and Tickseed. Finally, Colour Boost 6 is a true ‘chameleon’ – a diverse mixture of over 40 species and sub-species that changes in colour throughout the growing season.

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EGO urge gardeners to go green

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EGO urge gardeners to go green: Calling for a change to make battery-powered equipment the preferred choice over tools that emit noxious fumes and damaging noise pollution by 2025, EGO has launched a hard-hitting manifesto which highlights the dangers of petrol gardening equipment.

As one of the world’s biggest outdoor power tool manufacturers, EGO is no stranger to the demands of the gardening and outdoor tools market. Pitting petrol against battery-powered tools, the company’s Challenge 2025 manifesto tackles the issues head-on in a bid to educate users to move away from petrol, issuing a rallying cry for like-minded organisations to join them and bring the issue in front of parliament.

EGO urge gardeners to go green

EGO urge gardeners to go green

Steve Roskell, Marketing Director EMEA at EGO explains “There’s a baffling irony in the fact that the majority of the tools created to beautify our gardens are actually destroying our environment. Air pollution, noise pollution and sustainability are all clearly huge issues in today’s society. People are waking up to the dangers posed by petrol-guzzling cars. Yet, when it comes to gardening and landscaping equipment, the momentum for change simply doesn’t seem to be gathering pace in the same way. Petrol tools are known for being incredibly noisy, worryingly dirty and downright dangerous to our health – we’re keen to educate users that there is a viable, strong, powerful and cheaper long-term alternative.”

In years gone by, petrol was the only option for gardeners looking for cordless garden tools. EGO’s commitment to research and development has helped to change that. The company is now able to produce garden tools which challenge preconceptions about battery life, power and charging time which might previously have put people off making the switch. EGO’s ARC Lithium battery offers unrivalled charging time and power, and exceptional weight to energy ratio, making it among the top-performing portable batteries on the market and an ideal alternative to petrol equipment in the garden.

Roskell continues, “Cities up and down the country are making moves to reduce and discourage car usage. Yet while councils are doing their utmost to hit new emissions targets and car manufacturers are evolving to help meet the demand for eco-friendly alternatives, the nation is busy pumping pollutants into our green spaces. Research suggests that operating a commercial leaf-blower for one hour emits as much smog-forming pollution as driving a 2.5-litre passenger car around 1100 miles! Something has to change – and we’re happy to lead that change by urging like-minded businesses to join us in our quest.”

Find out more about EGO’s pledge and how you can be part of the movement to make the world of gardening greener, visit challenge2025.eu.

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Valdor® Flex available from Agrovista

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Valdor® Flex available from Agrovista: UNIQUE residual turf herbicide, Valdor® Flex, is now available from Agrovista Amenity.

Valdor Flex was introduced to the UK turf and amenity market last year and has been widely praised for providing excellent residual control for even the hardest to manage weeds.

Valdor® Flex available from Agrovista

Valdor® Flex available from Agrovista

Turf and amenity managers are encouraged to improve the efficiency of their herbicide programmes by using the product, which is active on a wide range of surfaces including open soil, gravel and industrial areas.

Its success is attributed to its two synergistic active ingredients, diflufenican and iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium, which help to minimise the risk of resistance through two complementary modes of action.

In fact, Valdor Flex keeps the soil weed free for up to four months with just one single application, providing cleaner surfaces for longer, and helping to target herbicide use more effectivity.

Agrovista Amenity’s John Marland believes that the product is a great addition to the company’s ever-expanding portfolio.

“The long-term activity of Valdor Flex keeps soil weed-free for up to four months, which reduces the frequency of applications throughout the season,” he said.

“This makes it a cost-effective solution for our amenity customers, as well as offering other benefits such as contributing to resistance management, something that our industry needs to keep on top of.”

Valdor Flex controls a range of common weeds and can be used standalone prior to germination or before weed emergence. If weeds are present, it can be mixed with glyphosate or a fatty acid, which helps to provide the initial knockdown.

Manufactured by Bayer, it uses the latest generation of wettable granule (WG) to ensure the product remains stable in water for at least 24 hours, meaning any remaining solution in the tank can be used the following day.

Valdor Flex should be applied from February through to June, a single application required per season, and is available in 10g sachets or 500g bottles. The 10g sachets can be mixed in a knapsack sprayer with 6-10 litres of water, providing the operator with surface coverage of up to 200m2. For those looking to treat a larger area, the 500g bottle can be mixed with 300-500 litres of water and applied with a tractor mounted sprayer to achieve coverage of 1ha.

This unique product also has a low odour, eliminates the risk of stains on treated surfaces, and consists of an incredibly low dust formulation which helps to reduce operator exposure.

For more information, visit www.agrovista.co.uk

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Award for John Deere mowers

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Award for new John Deere mowers: After a successful launch in 2019, John Deere’s 2700 and 2750 PrecisionCut and E-Cut hybrid electric triplex mowers have been honoured as a 2020 AE50 Award winner by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE).

Each year the AE50 awards highlight the industry’s most innovative designs in product engineering, as chosen by a panel of international engineering experts. The development of these new John Deere cylinder mowers was based on customer needs and challenges – most importantly, the struggle to find quality labour and tight operating budgets.

Award for new John Deere mowers

Award for new John Deere mowers

With this in mind, the mowers are equipped with the proven, advanced TechControl system, which is passcode protected and allows course managers, technicians and other trusted supervisors to input commands that control nearly everything regarding the operator’s performance. This includes frequency of clip, turn speed, clean-up pass speed and how fast the cutting units raise and lower.

The engines on all models are electronically controlled and include an Eco mode that automatically reduces engine speed when mowing, saving up to 30 per cent in fuel and reducing sound levels by up to 3dB(A). The lightweight, open platform design, with a low centre of gravity, ensures excellent stability and traction performance. The mowers offer a 62in (157cm) mowing width and speeds of up to 6mph (9.7kph) for increased productivity.

“Our customers are battling a variety of challenges, from labour to budgets. The 2700 and 2750 triplex mowers have been designed to directly tackle these concerns and take the stress out of mowing,” says John Deere Golf product manager Brad Aldridge. “From the innovative TechControl system to the open platform design and excellent cut quality, these machines deliver a precise, uniform cut, regardless of who’s driving – now every operator can be your best operator.”

ASABE is an international scientific and educational organisation dedicated to the advancement of engineering applicable to agricultural, food and biological systems. Each year the Society announces and presents the AE50 awards at the ASABE Agricultural Equipment Technology Conference held in Louisville, Kentucky in February.

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Obituary – John Shepherd

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Obituary – John Shepherd: It is with great sadness we announce that John Shepherd has passed away after an 18 month battle with cancer. John fell asleep peacefully for the last time with his family at his side on Sunday 2nd February 2020.

John was a close friend and colleague to me and many people in the irrigation industry. He was always positive and had a smile looking for the best solution for customers.

Obituary - John Shepherd

Obituary – John Shepherd

John started his career, after studying at Myerscough College, at Turf Irrigation Services (TIS) Ltd and this is where we met for the first time. John was a Technical Sales Engineer/Designer and I was a junior in the drafting office preparing design and as laid plans for projects undertaken by TIS. He always had time to spend with me. Indeed without the kind opportunities, education and experience given to me by Robin (Hume) and John I would not be where I am today. The irrigation and indeed turf industry seems large to many on the outside, however, it is actually a small and personal industry.

John once told me that when he started working for TIS he was conscious of his stammer and that he spoke to Robin about this. Robin responded in saying “People recognise me for my size and people will recognise you for your stammer”. Indeed Robin once told me that people would recognise me for my red hair, something which many still do, and I know many will always remember John’s stammer.

In his career John also spent many enjoyable years working for Hunter Industries as a Technical Sales Manager in EMEA [Europe, Middle East & Africa] before returning back to his roots to finally setup his irrigation design company, Irrigation Project Management [IPM], and working closely with myself at RHA.

Football was a passion and often a topic of conversation with many who knew him.  He was an avid supporter of Preston North End with a season ticket and seat on the nose of Tom Finney.

John is survived by his wife Nicholette and two children Chrissie and Joseph. His funeral will be held at Crewe Crematorium on the 27th February at 13.45 followed by a wake at the Hunters Lodge in Crewe. All are welcome to celebrate John’s life. John requested no flowers, and that any donations made in his memory will go to Macmillan Cancer Care and Help for Heroes.

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